Fire-alarm.



No. '6-6l,5 55. Patented Nov. 13, I900. A. A. RUSS. FIRE ALARM.

(Applicltion filed. Mar. 15, 1900.)

(No Modal.)

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ALFRED A. ROSS, OF MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA.

FIRE-ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,555, dated November13, 1900.

Application filed March 15, 1900. Serial No. 8,739. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ALFRED A. Boss, acitizen of the United States,residing at Montgomery, in the county of Montgomery and State ofAlabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFire-Alarms, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to that class of devices in which the rise oftemperature from fire causes an alarm to be actuatede. g., by closing oropening an electric circuit connected with suitable alarm-gongs or otherapparatus.

The object of myinvention is to provide an efficient and simple devicewhich will operate with certainty to give an alarm on dangerous increaseof temperature and which can be used to advantage in hotels and the likebuildings in connection with ordinary call-bell systems. I attain thisobject by the means shown in the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a view of the complete alarm device, here shown as adaptedto give an alarm by closing an electric circuit having an alarm-bell.Fig. 2 is a view of the glass cartridge.

On an insulating base-board A, of wood or other suitable material, is acontact-lever B, journaled in lugs O and normally drawn down to contactby a spring S. At P is a contact-point adapted to be touched by B whendown. At the short end of B is a ring D, in which and in a similar ringD on the base-board is hooked a small glass vessel of the shape shown inFig. 2 and which contains a volatile liquid, such as aqua-ammonia. Theglass vessel, which for convenience I will call a cartridge, ishermetically sealed. In the normal position of the device it preventsthe lever B from touching the contact I. The lever B is connectedwithone branch of the circuit and the contact-point P with the other. Onsuch an increase of temperature as will volatilize or boil the containedliquid the-cartridge M will burst. The lever B will then form thecircuit through the contact P and an alarm be given by an electric gong.The dotted lines show the position of lever B after such bursting of thecartridge.

L L in Fig. 1 are the wires of the circuit, K the source of electriccurrent, and J a gong or other alarm device.

It is obvious that this apparatus can be most readilyapplied in hotelsand the like by connecting it across the wires leading from the ordinarycall-bell push-button, when in case of fire the call-bellwillcontinuously ring and indicate the room in which the fire occurs.

It is not material that the cartridge be held in tension, as it willaccomplish the same result if held in compression; but it should be sodesigned as to fracture from the volatiliza tion of its content-s at itscentral part.

In practice there would be a protective covering for the apparatus,which for the sake of clearness is not indicated in the drawings, as itforms no part of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a thermal alarmmechanism a sealed vessel of glass or material which will break on thevolatilization of its contents, containing a volatile liquid, having anapproximately cylindrical body and having its ends bent upon itself toform open hooks by which it can be held in tension, and by its fracturerelease such alarm,substantially as described.

2. In a fire-alarm mechanism a sealed capsule of glass having anapproximately cylindrical body with its ends bent upon itself to formopen hooks by which it can hold such mechanism inoperative; said capsulefilled with an easily-volatilized liquid and adapted to break on thevolatilization of its contents, substantially as described.

3. In a fire-alarm mechanism a releasing device consisting of a sealedcapsule of glass containing a volatile liquid and which will break fromthe volatilization of its contents and having its ends bent upon itselfwhereby it can engage said mechanism and normally prevent its operation,substantially as described.

' ALFRED A. ROSS.

Witnesses:

DANL. W. TROY, DAVID W. W. FULLEa.

